Every August, four of my six children, and a multitude of grandchildren, head for the westernmost part of Cornwall for the summer holidays and I join them for a week. They rent various cottages in the Land's End area and we always have the most marvellous time in this beautiful and still surprisingly wild part of the British Isles.

I first visited Cornwall as a child when I travelled down there on a troop train for a family holiday during the Second World War. Ever since then, I have enjoyed making the lovely, relaxing train journey to Penzance.

But I've got to know the Land's End and St Ives part of the country all over again since my daughter, Rebecca, started going down there, and persuaded the rest of us to join her.

I love swimming in the sea – weather permitting. The cold water doesn't bother me, but sometimes it's just too windy and the sea is too rough. I also love to go for walks along the coast. But the thing I like best is just to stand on the cliff top, look out at that marvellous expanse of water and feel the stiff sea breeze on my face.

I'm extremely fond of St Ives, too. I always visit the Tate St Ives gallery. Another must is Barbara Hepworth's Museum and Sculpture Garden, where there are sculptures in bronze, stone and wood. Hepworth was a remarkable woman – and one of Britain's most important 20th-century artists.

A wonderful place to stay is The Cove (01736 731411; www.thecovecornwall.com), which has the most stunning views over the sea, not to mention an excellent restaurant. The food at the Tate St Ives Café is also good and this place boasts more marvellous views – over the old town of St Ives and Porthmeor Beach.

If you haven't visited this part of the country, you really don't know what you're missing.

Lady Antonia Fraser will be appearing at 'The Book Picnic' in Richmond, Surrey, on May 9. For tickets call 020 8892 9446 or visit www.artsrichmond.org.uk